in man



E. B. INMAN.

woon SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26. I918.

Patented. July 22, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1 ATTORNEY E. B. INMAN.

WOOD SPLITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26. I918. 1,310,660, Patented July 22,-1919.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY [ar/ 5.10am.

THE COLUMBIA ILAXHGR'APH cus. wasnmm'oN. n. c.

UNITED sTATEsPATENT OFFICE.

EARL B. INMAN, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EARLB. INMAVN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Wood-Splitting Machine, of which the following is a specification.

invention relates to improvements in wood-splitting machines in which a vertical riving knife is pressed into a horizontal log means of a three-drum engine and wire cables; and the objects of my improvement are first, to eliminate the wedging and maul ing of the logs by hand; second, to split logs of any reasonable-length and thickness especially, however, cord wood and spruce for aeroplanes; third, to produce a machine which, for the most part, can be readily con- "structed with the material available in any logging camp.

Iattain these obJects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure I is a plan View of the entire machine; Fig. II, aside elevation; Fig. III, a vertical section along the line aa in Fig. I; Fig. IV,'a vertical section along the line being symmetrical; Fig. VII is a section through the knife as indicated by the line OTC in Fig. VI.

throughout the several views.

The frame ofmy machine comprises skids ignated by the three numerals 3, 3? and 3 as each of these parts serves its special purpose. 3 is reserved for the operator, b for riving knife and log and 3 for the drums. The division line is set by the vertical side posts 4 and 5 on top of the platform. Cross beam 6 rests on top of the two posts 4, and cross beam 7 on the two posts 5. Iron rods 8, so-called hog irons, are anchored in the skids and hold the posts securely in an upright position.

At the center line of the machine, firmly attached to the cross beams 6 and 7, is the beam 9 which serves as agu ide for the upper part of the riving knife 10. The lower part of the knife is guided andalso supported by the beam 11, latter being attached to the under side of the platform 3 and. 3.

Specification of Letters Patent.

,WOOD-SPLIITING MACHINE.

Application filed June 26, 1918. Serial No. 241,922.

An ordinary three-drum donkey engine 12 is placed on the platform 3 and has its steam inlet 13 connected with a suitable steam generator. power is transmitted by means of gears 15 to the three drums 16, 17 and 18 and, by means of gears 19 (Fig. IV), to the shaft 20. This shaft has keyed to its ends, on the outside of the skids, the friction wheels 21.

A wire cable from the drum 16 leads over the heave 22 and around the sheave 23 to the rear end 24 of beam 9 where it is at tached in a suitable manner.

and around sheave 26 to the rear end 27 of beam 11 where it also is fastened. The two last-named drums serve to pull theriving knife 10 into the log. -Toreturn the knife to its starting position a cable 28 is attached to the back of the knife 10 and leads over the sheaves 29 and 30 to the drum 18. The sheaves 29'and 30 are placed santingly so that, the cable 28 may clear the obstacles underneath the platform. i

As apparent from Figs. V, VI and VII the knife edge 10 proper is reinforced by being bolted at 31 to an Ibeam, and to the From the crank shaft 14 The wire cable from drum 17 leads underneath sheave latter are riveted the plates 32 which, in con sheaves 23 and'26 respectively.

An appropriate number of carrier chains r 33 (in the drawings only two are shown on Similar numerals referto similar parts each side) travel across the platform 3 and 'around the rollers 34 to be driven by sprocketwheels 3-5. The shafts 36,011 which the sprocket wheels are secured, extend past the friction wheels 21 and are provided with friction wheels 37 latter being arranged slidingly so that when one of them is pressed against the wheel 21 their carrier chains will travel in one direction while an operation of the other friction wheel will produce a motion of the chains in an opposite direction.

In this invention no claim is made to the handling gear, therefore, latter, as well as the usual accessories to the drums, such as brakes, clutches and ratchets are, for the sake of greater clearness, omitted. Suffice it to say that the operator takes his stand on the platform 3 with the handling gear conveniently arranged before him. The log, previously sawed to proper length, is placed on to the carrier chains 33 on platform 3 by manipulation of the proper frictier).- wheel 37 the log is carried treat of.

the riving knife, to about the position indicated by the dotted circle 38 in Fig. IV. The operator makes sure that drum 18 is free to play out its cable 28 and then, by winding the cables on the drums 16 and 17, the knife 10 will press against the end of the log and, if necessary push it along until the other end of the log rests firmly at the bulkhead 39 between the posts 6. 10 will enter the log untillatter is split open and half a log deposited on the carrier chains on each side of the knife, either to be carried back before the knife, or to be thrown over the edge of the platform.

If the operator desires, he may advance the lower part of the knife and then follow in see-saw fashion with the upper part which will increase the splitting power materially. On the other hand, if speed is more important than power, the cables may be released from the points 24 and 27 and at tached directly to the sheaves 23 and 26 on 1 the knife.

Having described my invention, it will be seen that my objects have been accomplished; and though I have shown the preferred form of my machine, I reserve to myself the right to make minor changes of construction so long as I do not depart from the spirit of my invention.

Especially do I wish it to be understood, that a steani engine is not the only power generator to which I restrict myself, but that any powergas engine, electric, or otherwisemay be used, provided it is capable of driving three individual drums and a separate friction shaft.

I claim:

1. In a wood-splitting machine, the combination of a horizontal, elevatedplatform, a longitudinal slot in the center section, a vertical knife reciprocating within the slot,

a source of power controlling means for,

said source of power,-cable drums for ad vancing eachend of the knife independently, and a separate cable drum for withdrawing said knife.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for From now on the knife 2. In a wood-splitting machine, the combination of an elevated platform, cable drums at one end,a vertical knife extending through the platform, cables between said cable drums and each end of the knife for advancing the knife, a cable between said cable drums and the center of the knife for withdrawing the knife, sheaves disposed to guidethe cables, and a common source of power acting on the cable drums to advance each end of said knife independently.

3. In a wood-splitting machine, the combination with a vertical knife, a bulkhead, means for reciprocating the knife, carrier chains at both sides of the knife, a common source of power for reciprocating-the knife and operating the carrier chains, and gearing for transmitting such power to the car rier chains, to .selectively drive either or both of them in the same or opposite direction.

4.,In a wood-splitting machine, the combination of avertical knife, a bulkhead, means for reciprocating the knife, endless carrier chains at both sides of the knife mounted to carry a log to'or from the knife, shafts to support and drive said carrier chains, and drivinggear engageable with said shafts, to drive either chain in either direction.

.5. In a wood-splitting machine, a .riving knife, knife guiding flanges at both ends of said knife, an eye at the back of the knife, sheaves between thefianges, a cable attached to the eye, cables having one end. attached to a fixed point, passing around suchsheaves and being attached to means for drawing such cables. I

6. In a wood-splitting machine, ariving knife, a ring at the back ofthe reinforcing bar, guiding flanges at each end of said bar,

five cents each, by addressing the f fiommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

knife, a reinforcing bar at the back of .the y 

